Area youths had the opportunity to sell animals they've spent long amounts of time taking care of Friday night at the Southwest Washington Fair during the Junior Livestock Sale.
The fair continues Saturday and will last through Sunday. See what's on tap for today by visiting https://southwestwashingtonfair.org/.
These photos are by Chronicle reporter Emily Fitzgerald. Look for more fair coverage in Tuesday's edition of The Chronicle.
The auction area of the Southwest Washington Fairgrounds was a flurry of activity Friday night as 167 area FFA and 4-H youths sold their animals at the Junior Livestock Sale.
Each youth got just a few seconds in the arena, supported by the auctioneer’s running commentary, to show off the months of hard work they put into raising their animals.
It was an emotional night for the participating youths, many of whom sold their animals for well above market price.
The livestock sale is organized annually by the Southwest Washington Junior Livestock Sale Committee, which is designed to help youth enrolled in FFA and 4-H learn about the meat animal industry and marketing livestock, according to previous Chronicle reporting.
Participating youths can choose one of several types of market animals — steers, heifers, swine, lambs, goats, rabbits, turkeys, ducks or fryer chickens — to raise, train, market and ultimately sell during the Southwest Washington Fair.
Some youths, like those who raise steers and heifers, have over two years invested in the program. Others, like those raising turkeys, have about five months of time invested between the bird’s hatching and sale at the fair in August.
Regardless of what animal they chose to raise and sell, participating youth ended their experience with industry connections and some money to put towards next year’s project or their college savings.
More information on the Junior Livestock Sale can be found on the Southwest Washington Fair’s website, https://southwestwashingtonfair.org/events/jr-livestock-sale/.
